


Ludus

by CrystalHopeDragon



Series: Modern Fairytales [3]
Category: Beauty and the Beast - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:00:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28908219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalHopeDragon/pseuds/CrystalHopeDragon
Summary: I rewrote Beauty and the Beast in a way that took out some of the squicky bits like the, you know, slavery. I also wanted Belle to finally get her adventure, in this she gets it. Alternate title: Belle and the Curse Breaker. This is the only story I’ve ever written entirely in first person.
Relationships: Beast/Beauty (Beauty and the Beast)
Series: Modern Fairytales [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2117880
Kudos: 1





	Ludus

Ludus

Belle And The Curse Breaker 

“Ooo, a new one!” I squeal in excitement, reaching up. The shelf is slightly above my head but I can still reach it at least.

I hear a chuckle behind me. “Indeed, my dear. A fast eye you’ve developed.”

“O may I borrow it? I swear I’ll bring it back in mint condition!” I beg, eyes wide, clutching the book close. 

“Of course. Most children I wouldn’t trust, but you’ve proven yourself.” The bookshop owner says with a grin, patting my head. 

I smile brightly at him as I run off, already reading on the way out. It’s a fascinating tale, really. A foreign story of a young woman who dresses up as a man and joins the army, determined to save her fathers life by going in his place. O how I wish I had such an adventure to live. Not that I wish for a war, of course! Just some excitement...

“Oof.” I grunt, falling to my rear after having stumbled into someone.

“A lady should watch where she’s going, Belle. How do you expect to win a husband like that?” I groan at the voice, looking up. Of course I ran into him.

“Run along, Avenant. Don’t you have some poor defenseless creature to shoot?”

“That’s my dinner you are talking about.” He gasps in mock offense.

“It’s really not. You don’t even like deer, I can hear you gripe about it from across town. You just like having their antlers on your mantle.” I respond with an eye-roll, brushing myself off. I look down to check and sigh in relief. The book is fine, thank goodness.

“If you’d look around more and in that silly book less, you’d see I sell my deer meet to the butcher. That allows me to buy whatever I wish for dinner.” He proclaims proudly, puffing up like he’s expecting praise. 

I brush past him carelessly, knocking him out of that ridiculous posture. “Congratulations on starting your business relations so young. If you’d leave me to read I may come up with an idea of my own for such an endeavor.” I say as I continue to skim. 

“Why would you need to? You could always just marry me when older, then you’d never need to work. Just a little housework, of course.” I snort.

“O yes Avenant, being your little housewife, what a dream.” I deadpan.

“Isn’t it?” He asks proudly. I roll my eyes again, ignoring him. We’re only twelve, we really don’t need to be thinking of marriage. Not to mention the fact he’d be an AWFUL match for me, now and forever. 

As I continue on, ignoring his offended huffs from behind, I notice a commotion up ahead. For once something interesting enough happened to pull me out of my book.

It’d seem like any normal business argument, just a price disagreement, if the lady wasn’t dressed so uniquely. You rarely see a woman in these parts dressed in full armor. The Franc military doesn’t accept women after all, even if its one of the few nations around who don’t. 

“What do you mean you don’t keep that much parchment on hand?! What kind of tradesmen doesn’t keep more then six leafs worth of parchment?” She demands in outrage.

“What kind of woman needs that much anyway?!” He asks in fury, obviously annoyed by her outburst.

“The kind who has notes to take, you simpleton! How do you expect someone to break a curse without having anything to record her findings on!” 

“And what kind of job is that?! Do we look like we have a curse around here?!”

“Yes!” She huffs out in exasperation, turning around and storming off. I follow excitedly. A curse and a curse breaker? What more adventure could I want!

“Ma’am! Excuse me, ma’am!” I shout, catching up. She turns around, eyebrow raised. “I actually store quite a bit of parchment for my own notes. I’ll gladly sell you some...in exchange for some information, that is.” I inform her, grinning.

Now both eyebrows raise up in surprise. “What kind of info could you possibly want?”

“The curse! What is it? Where is it? How do you break one?! Are they common? How do I find one? How-“ she cuts me off with a hand over my mouth, as my volume had continued to escalate.

“Okay, okay! You really wanna know kid? Fine. I’ll tell you, it’s not like it’s a secret. First I need that parchment though. I’ve got a lot of work to do once I get there, and I rarely get supplies like this in the places I break them.”

“Sure!” I chirp happily, leading her back to my house to grab it. I never keep less then twenty leaves, after all you never know when writing inspiration will strike!

When we enter my dwelling though her eyes widen in surprise, looking around. “What’s all this?”

I glance up in confusion, then grin. “O! My dads an inventor. Some of it’s amazing, some of it...still needs some tweaking. It’ll get there though!” I reply, going to the side of his desk to grab the parchment I store there. I return with it proudly stacked in my arms, ready to trade. “Now for your end.” 

She rolls her eyes, but accepts the parchment. She then takes her backpack to store it, pulling a map out in the process. “The curse is here.” She says, pointing at a spot further into the woods. “Each curse is unique so I don’t know how to break it yet, but I at least somewhat know what it is. It seems to have erased all memory of a castle in this location, as well as the monarch over it. He was only eleven when all memory of him vanished two years ago, his father recently deceased, but the written documents were still intact. Most rulers assumed the written documents were inaccurate or a prank, and his lands naturally got incorporated into the surrounding nations per his absence. I know better though. No prank leaves behind this many consistent records across multiple royal courts. Someone intentionally erased this kid from existing memory for some reason, including his entire family’s reign. I get to figure out why, and undo it.” She responds determinedly, folding the map back up and slipping it into her sack. 

“Are you sure some royal isn’t just covering it up so they could steal his land?” I ask suspiciously.

“Do you remember a castle in that area two years ago?” She asks in return. 

Touché. She gets up to leave.

“Take me with you!” I beg, jumping up.

She looks at me stoically. “And why would I do that?”

“I speak and read eight different languages besides common language as well as know the surrounding forests? If the child wasn’t taught common yet for some reason I can talk to him?” I throw in proudly. 

“I’m sure he knows common, he was a spoiled brat from what I read. Besides, I do speak French.” She replied, destroying half my argument. “And I have a map.”

“A map doesn’t match up to years of travel experience. If anyone can help find a castle a curse is trying to hide in this area, it’d be me.” Dad took me through that forest a million times to the coastal market and back, as well as a few hunting trips of our own; for food, of course. 

“Won’t your parents worry?” She asked, turning to face me finally, sizing me up.

“I’ll leave a note. Dad’s always busy with work even when here and mom hasn’t come home from the hospital she works at in months, too busy with patients. They’ll barely notice.” I shrug off.

She looks me over one last time. “You’re lonely and bored, aren’t you kid?”

I grimace, but decide to be honest. “Yes.”

She sighs, handing me back one slip of parchment. “Leave them a detailed note, I don’t want them panicking. I’ve been meaning to take an apprentice anyway. This job gets hazardous, have to pass on the craft and all that.” She says with a hand wave, as if life or death situations were mundane.

I fill in a slightly vague note that at least covered the situation if not my current destination, and attached it to his desk. He’d see it there at least.

“One sec!” I declare as I run upstairs. I grab my sac and a quick change of clothes, as well as my compass and telescope. Having an inventor for a dad can be great when you need all the latest travel devices other inventors make. I also grab my notebook and a warm coat, in case this mission runs into seasonal changes. I pack it all up and head downstairs, grabbing the book I borrowed. “I need to return this before we leave, but then I’m all set.”

“Your town has a library?” She asks in surprise.

“A bookstore.” I admit. “He lets me borrow them though as I always care for them and return them promptly.”

“Nice guy.” She shrugs. “I wouldn’t be.” 

I rush into town as she follows at a leisurely pace, returning the book.

“That was fast! How did you possibly finish it?!” He asks in surprise.

“I didn’t.” I admit with a pout. “I will later though, for now I need to make an adventure of my own.”

“What in the world-“ I don’t let him finish though as I rush off, reuniting with my mentor.

“All set!” 

“Let’s go then.” She responds, biting into the apple she’d bought while I was busy, herding me towards the woods. 

-🌹 -

It took us a few hours to find it. We followed the path the map pointed to, overgrown as it was. Some of it was completely gone, requiring us to distinguish from the map itself where we should go next. It was so close to the main path my father always took I was amazed no one had found it sooner. Mainly because it...wasn’t a small building.

The castle was quite grand, even if the dark color gave it a drab mood. The gate was wide open though so we walked on in. She didn’t even pause at the door, opening it with no invite. I would be appalled at such invasion if I didn’t know she was the expert. No time to waste when breaking curses, right? It must not be rude when one’s trying to save lives.*

I heard shuffling around me when we entered, but whenever I looked the movement ceased. She ignored it, heading forward, looking around. She was searching for something, and for the life of me I had no idea what. We searched through many rooms, multiple corridors, to no avail. Finally though, in the upper tower of the west wing, we found it. A glowing flower floating in a glass jar, sitting high on a table. It was the only pretty thing in the room, the rest seemed to be a disaster zone. Broken furniture and shredded pillows, it looked like a beast had ravaged it. As she stepped inside though, going towards the flower, a low growl was heard. It sounded angry, and deadly.

She turned towards it instantly, throwing forth a sheathed sword to block it just as it attacked. It reared back growling, trying for another bite before once again being thwarted by her sheath.

“Relax. Adam, was it? We’re here to help.” 

He growls more, but jumps back. “Who are you? How do you know who I am? And how dare you tread into my castle so lightly?!” He demands in angry French, voice cracking.

Belle blinks in surprise before bursting out into giggles. 

“What?!” He growls, rearing towards her.

She didn’t mean to be rude, it’s just! That voice! It’s so cracking and scratchy! He looks like this big bad beast but then he talks and it sounds like he’s mid puberty. Actually, if he’s the prince they’re looking for, he is! And that just...makes it funnier!

She tries to stop -really!- but the chuckles keep her bent over, near heaving from laughter.

“I don’t mean to laugh...giggle...it’s just...that voice.”

“What’s wrong with my voice?” He growls, stalking closer. 

“It’s...so young! You just look so big, I guess I thought you were an adult?” I giggle out, looking at him finally.

“So what if I’m not, neither are you!” He huffed, turning away. If she didn’t know better she’d think he was embarrassed!

“Enough. I apologize for my companion, she’s new.” The woman responds, getting his attention.

“And who, once again, are you?” He grumbles out, seemingly calmer now.

“Anathema, a curse breaker. I’m here to fix your little problem. And this is...um...child, I just realized I never bothered to ask your name.” She blinks in surprise.

This restarts the giggles, though I stop once they both seem to be getting frustrated. “I forgot to as well. I’m Belle.”

“Yes you are**.” I hear mumbled. I whip around in surprise, but the boy who’d mumbled it was facing away again. It was...kind of sweet. He wasn’t broody, he was shy!

“Why thank you.” I respond to his outburst anyway, giving a light curtsy. He just turned further away.

“You kids can flirt later, curse now. So kid, what can you tell me about this? Why are you a beast all of a sudden and why can’t the rest of the world remember you?” Anathema asks, arms crossed.

Adam mumbled something out angrily.

“Speak up, couldn’t hear that.” She informs him, putting a hand to her ear to emphasize.

“I pissed off a witch!” He shouted, raising up from his crouch. “Turned her away at the door when she looked like an old hag. Sooorry for not trusting strangers! Looks like I had good reason to though, as she got pissed and cursed me! She told me that unless I could get a girl to like me before the last petal on this stupid rose fell on my 21st birthday I’ll be stuck like this forever! How am I supposed to do that?! I’ve never even talked to a girl!” He growled out. “At least not one my age.” He mumbled afterwards.

I just grin, sauntering forward. “Well I like you, does that count?” They both balk at me. “What?”

“I think the witch means romantically.” Anathema pitches in.

I pout. “Darn. I thought it could be a quick fix.”

“These kind of curses never are. I’ve got some notes on similar cases though, so maybe we can fabricate an easier solution then him finding his soulmate. Do you happen to have a study or...anywhere cleaner I can work then this room?” She asks him with a raised eyebrow. 

“You really think you can break it?” He asks breathlessly.

“It is my job, kid.” She says, stern expression going soft as she smiles. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen her smile. 

He blushes, looking away before gesturing for us to follow. We exit the room to start down the long, winding halls. I still hear shuffling around us as we move, but I never spot anything. “So what’s with the random nosies?” I ask.

“The servants.” He grunts out. “The witches curse turned them invisible. They don’t seem to be able to speak, either. They keep working though, so I learned to live with it. They don’t make for great company like this though.”

“I bet.”

We finally arrive to a large set of double doors, and upon them opening before us (courtesy of the servants) I gape in surprise. Shelves upon shelves, higher then I could dream of reaching, filled with books.

“I’ve never seen so many books in my life.” I gasp out in wonder.

“Perfect.” Anathema says as she passes, heading towards a section labeled History. “I’ll see what I can find. In the mean time, Belle, please keep our host company while I work.” 

“What?! But you said you’d teach me!” I exclaim, outraged.

She nods. “And I will. Just not in the middle of a case. You can learn the details during travel. For now though I want you to keep this gentlemen company; it sounds like he hasn’t had any in a while.” 

I blink, realizing she’s right. I turn to the boy next to me, thinking. “So...what do you do for fun?”

“...Not much anymore. I used to play piano, but...” he glances down at his claws, frowning. I cringe.

“Yikes, yeah that would put a damper on things.”

“What about you, what do you do for fun?”

“Read mostly.” I say with a grin. “Come on, let’s read one together.”

I grab the nearest book, sitting down to read. He sits beside me, looking over. I read a few pages before glancing up, noticing the lost expression on his face. “Am I going too fast?”

“Um, a little? I never really learned how to read. I was a lazy student.” He hesitantly admitted.

I gasp in horror, turning around fully to face him. “Never?! What a waste, when you have this place at your disposal! Well come on then, let me show you. There’s sooo much more you can learn if you know how to read!” 

And that’s what we did. For the next few days we just read. I showed him, letter by letter, how to read every French book we could reach. He admitted to knowing most of the common language, so I agreed to teach him to read that later too. We read fun stories of dragons and mermaids, but never my little foreign warrior. I’d have to buy that book from the shop owner and bring it to him some day. It was fun to have someone else who seemed as fascinated by the books as I am.

Time dragged on while we had fun, lapsing into two weeks. Anathema never stopped, staying in the study for hours on end pouring over notes and reading old texts from the library. 

And one day, when he was slowly reading a small fairytale to me, I relaxed back comfortably in his fur. He seemed shocked but after a moment he continued reading. I leaned up and kissed the underside of his chin. “I think I might just love you after all.” And between his gaping eyes and dropped jaw, I couldn’t resist a fresh batch of giggles. 

Before he could respond though light burst forth from his every pore, causing me to jump back. It was like he himself had become the sun, and was directing it everywhere. The light did eventually fade though, and with it he was suddenly visible. At least the new him was. Because before me now sat a young blond boy, wearing nothing but his fancy blue trousers.

“I think you’ll need a shirt again.” I respond with a grin. “No fur to hide behind anymore.”

He just gaped at me. “How can you crack jokes at a time like this?! You broke my curse, you confessed!”

I giggle. “I did, and I’m glad it worked. It’s still funny to see you shirtless.”

He blushes, using his arms to cover himself. Quickly though a servant who I’d never seen before (obviously) ran over and dressed him in a matching tunic.

“Alan.” He gasped, looking up.

“It’s good to see you, my king.” He responded with a smile.

Adam just beamed. “It’s so, so much better to see you.” Making me giggle again. He turned to me, exasperated.

Anathema rounded a corner at this point to see what the commotion was about. She blinked in surprise at the sight before her, turning towards me. “Well I’ll be damned. All that research for nothing. How in the world did you do it, kid?”

“I confessed.” I said, grinning

“Well, that’s definitely one way to do it. Wasn’t expecting you to fall in love though, honestly. You kids have soft hearts.” She says with a laugh. “So will you be staying with your king or...” she asks awkwardly.

“I’m coming with you, duh!” I respond enthusiastically, jumping up.

“What?!” Adam yelps out, jumping up as well. “But you just confessed! Did you lie?! The curse wouldn’t have broke if you lied!”

I just smile at him. “I didn’t lie, I do love you. I’m just not ready to settle down yet. My adventure has just started, I’ve still got so much to see! I’ve yet to even get past these woods! So I’m going to keep going with Ms. Anathema until I’ve seen my fill.”

“When will I see you again?!” He asked in a panic.

I shrug. “When I visit home? I’ll have to from time to time or my parents would worry. If you want me home more often though,” I grin at him as I lean in close. “Give me something to return to.” I gave him one last peck on the cheek before running off. “See you Adam!” To which Anathema followed after, grabbing our bags, exasperated.

“Kids.” She huffed out.

——

Adam thought of it though, thought of her challenge. He looked around the room, at all the books she loved, and grinned. She wanted a reason to come home? Fine, he’d give her one.

-🌹-

This is getting annoying. I’ve searched every library in the capital to no avail! What happened to the Gordian text? They used to always keep at least one in this city! I needed to freshen up on my knot techniques. I’ve stopped by to skim it at least once every year for four years now, where did it go?! And what happen to Pandora’s book? It was the most recent publication on curses, surely this library would have it.

I go up to the librarian in a huff, asking about them. She checked her files with a thoughtful frown. “Ah, Yes. Those are some of the books King Adam purchased from us for his new library. He seemed adamant on wanting all our copies, for some reason.” 

“Does he do this often?” I ask with a huff.

“O yes. He monopolizes at least one major text a week. I’ve never been able to discern why though.”

As frustrated as I am, I can’t resist a giggle. “It looks like I have a reason to visit home then.”

-🌹 -

*Breaking and entering is always rude, and illegal. (Anathema just doesn’t care.) Plus unnecessary. If she’d knocked, the servants would have opened it, invisible or no.

**Belle is French for beauty.


End file.
